What about travel insurance??

[bazzaw]

It is said that if you can't afford travel insurance, then you can't afford to travel. That saying may have been made up by a Travel Agent who receive their highest commissions from the insurance industry:) - I believe often more than they make out of the actual travel bookings .

 

On my last cruise of 7 days, I got it from an online agency for about $100 for 2 of us - it will be around the same for the next 10 day tour. Next year I am planning 6 weeks in UK and Europe (maybe a week on the Med with Costa or MSC??) and I will definitely take out insurance for that trip.

 

But what about my next 10 days on P & O Pacific Sun.?? What are your thoughts??

 

Barry

[Legs11]

God you have to have travel insurance!!! Anything could happen to your luggage or clothes (horror):eek:

 

I am not able to get full insurance as I have a pre-exsisting condition. But I was still able to get insurance for my luggage and also in case I got sea sick (which I never have in my life) for $70 from Harvey World Travel. I was not covered if I developed a major life threating clot (which I am disposed to) - have never understood insurance - anyway it is important, it may feel like a waste of time but than again do you trust the people handling your luggage.:cool:

[arxcards]

It is said that if you can't afford travel insurance, then you can't afford to travel. That saying may have been made up by a Travel Agent who receive their highest commissions from the insurance industry:) - I believe often more than they make out of the actual travel bookings .

 

On my last cruise of 7 days, I got it from an online agency for about $100 for 2 of us - it will be around the same for the next 10 day tour. Next year I am planning 6 weeks in UK and Europe (maybe a week on the Med with Costa or MSC??) and I will definitely take out insurance for that trip.

 

But what about my next 10 days on P & O Pacific Sun.?? What are your thoughts??

 

Barry

 

There was information here a few months ago, where you could buy an annual policy for what appeared to be a great rate. If you are spending so much time in Europe, you may be able to cover it all on one policy.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=11446450&postcount=10

 

Just locally, a hundred dollars is worthwhile insurance against the cost of having to be evacuated home.

 

Cheers

Geoff

[bazzaw]

Hi Mandy

 

Actually, my luggage values are the very last thing I worry about - the insurance probably costs more than my clothes!!:) I really mainly take out insurance for the medical side of things - especially hospitalisation in some strange foreign place and possible evacuation. Anything else is just an expense and a pain in the A** - but those 2 things could send one bankrupt!:eek:

 

Barry

[qld cruiser]

It is said that if you can't afford travel insurance, then you can't afford to travel. That saying may have been made up by a Travel Agent who receive their highest commissions from the insurance industry:) - I believe often more than they make out of the actual travel bookings .

 

On my last cruise of 7 days, I got it from an online agency for about $100 for 2 of us - it will be around the same for the next 10 day tour. Next year I am planning 6 weeks in UK and Europe (maybe a week on the Med with Costa or MSC??) and I will definitely take out insurance for that trip.

 

But what about my next 10 days on P & O Pacific Sun.?? What are your thoughts??

 

Barry

 

 

Hi Barry, Please do not go without insurance.

I have been on cruises when ghastly things have happened that no-one would have thought possible.

A lady slipped in her shower recess, hitting her head on the lip .

x-rays etc, that have to be sent to U.S and return cost over 3.000.00

she needed medi vac to bring her home from Vila. costly without insurance.

A gentleman opened the door to go out on deck when strong winds shut it on his hand.. big mess. needed to be flown home.

 

heaps more I could mention...

 

P&O also ask passengers to take insurance out.

 

kind regards, Lorraine:) :)

[Legs11]

Hi Mandy

 

Actually, my luggage values are the very last thing I worry about - the insurance probably costs more than my clothes!!:) I really mainly take out insurance for the medical side of things - especially hospitalisation in some strange foreign place and possible evacuation. Anything else is just an expense and a pain in the A** - but those 2 things could send one bankrupt!:eek:

 

Barry

 

Damn straight!! Why do you think I do not have health insurance - I would be so broke right now!!!

[kaseyoz]

if you only need to get to the doctor once for a seasickness injection it will be worth having insurance.

 

we have had to see the doctor twice,both for daughter and both for ear infection and both after hours. If you didnt have insurance you may think about not going to see doctor and get worse. Lucky daughter was sick for one day and then came good.

 

I get migraines and have my medication but if i had a real bad one with insurance i would be phoning that dr rather than putting up with it.

 

It is hard to lose baggage on aussie cruises if you are not flying.

 

we get enough insurance for aussie cruises from our credit card

[sayaguru]

I got travel insurance for my mum for our 10 night cruise for $54. She's 71. Some charged more for over 70's. http://www.onlinetravelinsurance.com.au

 

I thought that was really cheap.

 

I buy an annual policy as I travel a lot and often at short notice. Plus I don't have to worry about it running out. Every birthday it's due. Easy to remember.

[Guest012]

Last cruise we were gone for 20 days in total... insurance for me i have a heart problem and not many insurance coys want to know me... worked out to be only $7.00 per day.....the price of a cocktail.... my excess is $1000.00 but if something went wrong that amount is chickenfeed...most of us will never need to claim so what we really are buying is peace of mind and it is definately worth it....cheers shiona

[arxcards]

I am not endorsing the company, but this is just an example of annual travel insurance. As you are travelling for so much of the next year, one policy will cover all trips for the year.

 

http://www.1cover.com.au/annual-travel-insurance.html

 

There are many others if you want to Google "annual travel insurance"

 

Cheers

Geoff

[LuckiePuris]

I have taken out my travel insurance with P&O directly. It was $180 from memory, for a dual policy (any two adults travelling together).

 

There is also an excess buy-out option for only $25 per policy.

[toowoombatourist]

I agree with all the other comments shop arround you would be crazy to travel any where without it. We did a cruise 2 weeks ago on the pacific sun. One of the people at our table for 1st 2 days suffered bad sea sickness. couple of trips to doc's later big out of pocket expense but will be able to claim back from insurance so please do get it

[arxcards]

I have taken out my travel insurance with P&O directly. It was $180 from memory, for a dual policy (any two adults travelling together).

 

There is also an excess buy-out option for only $25 per policy.

 

We are travelling an almost identical itinerary to you, leaving a day later. We paid under $140 for a family of 3, and a $25 excess buyout also was available. It pays to shop around. The 2 dearest quotes we got were from P&O\Princess and our T\A. Everywhere else was at least 15% cheaper for similar or identical policies.

 

Cheers

Geoff

[NSWP]

Do not rely on the 'free credit card travel insurance, have a look at it..i.e. 'reasonable expenses' they will pay, there are stories of the 'credit card insurance people only paying half your cost because 'that is reasonable. You need full travel policy with 'unlimited claims.' I get mine through my private Health Fund, get a genuine 30% discount that way, I have checked them all out.

 

When we were on Regal Princess in middle of Pacific..one of the purser staff told me if US Coastguard had to pick up a severely ill pax, the bill starts at US$20,000. !! Enough said.:cool:

[i_love_cruising]

My last cruise (20 years ago), I had never heard of travel insurance. My Dad booked my cruise for me so maybe I did have it. When I told him we had booked another cruise, he told me definitely to go with the travel insurance. Chances are you may not need it, but it's like insuring your house, car etc. For the peace of mind and the sake of a few extra dollars, definitely take our travel insurance. We were lucky to get a good rate through our t/a.

 

Sarah

[RD MULLET]

Last cruise we were gone for 20 days in total... insurance for me i have a heart problem and not many insurance coys want to know me... worked out to be only $7.00 per day.....the price of a cocktail.... my excess is $1000.00 but if something went wrong that amount is chickenfeed...most of us will never need to claim so what we really are buying is peace of mind and it is definately worth it....cheers shiona

I was supposed to be on the same cruise, didn't make it! Ended up in hospital on and off for 3 days and missed the boat. Have now got the money back from insurance company for the cruise we missed, the extra flight home, all expanses we paid, includung taxis everywhere(so far over $8000) and just send the hospital bills to them (the first 2 hours were over $3500) and doctors bills (emergency doctor was over $1000).

Would I ever leave home without it? not bloody likely!

[kaseyoz]

Do not rely on the 'free credit card travel insurance, have a look at it..i.e. 'reasonable expenses' they will pay, there are stories of the 'credit card insurance people only paying half your cost because 'that is reasonable. You need full travel policy with 'unlimited claims.' I get mine through my private Health Fund, get a genuine 30% discount that way, I have checked them all out.

 

When we were on Regal Princess in middle of Pacific..one of the purser staff told me if US Coastguard had to pick up a severely ill pax, the bill starts at US$20,000. !! Enough said.:cool:

 

I know about the limits of credit card insurance. I should maybe have made it a bit clearer. I did say it was enough for aussie cruises. For overseas travel and even our NZ cruise we paid for additional insurance. Travelling with kids you cant take any chances.

we had more problems with MIL who is 77, someone on here pointed me in the right direction, she had different company to us, you just have to shop around and yes ours is with our health company

[Guest012]

Hey RD hope things have settled down for you.....you weren't the only one that cruise that had issues... i think every port we put off one or two people who were ill or had broken something....got to agree its not worth travelling without insurance...no matter how fit you think you are............Karon another thing i learnt was that because i have a high excess i need to take the policy out on my own... my husband has a separate one that way he has just the normal excess....sneaky devils insurance coys..lol...cheers shiona

[RD MULLET]

Hey RD hope things have settled down for you.....you weren't the only one that cruise that had issues... i think every port we put off one or two people who were ill or had broken something....got to agree its not worth travelling without insurance...no matter how fit you think you are............Karon another thing i learnt was that because i have a high excess i need to take the policy out on my own... my husband has a separate one that way he has just the normal excess....sneaky devils insurance coys..lol...cheers shiona

Hi Shiona

Off to hospital to finnaly get the bloody thing out tommorrow and then all should be OK.:D Boy it seems to have taken forever. I heard thet Rick, who was travelling with fLASH had to spend some time in the hospital, got overserviced to buggery and then a bill for $1000.:eek:

[RD MULLET]

Hey RD hope things have settled down for you.....you weren't the only one that cruise that had issues... i think every port we put off one or two people who were ill or had broken something....got to agree its not worth travelling without insurance...no matter how fit you think you are............Karon another thing i learnt was that because i have a high excess i need to take the policy out on my own... my husband has a separate one that way he has just the normal excess....sneaky devils insurance coys..lol...cheers shiona

Hi Shiona

Off to hospital to tommorrow to finaly get the bloody thing out and then all should be OK.:D Boy it seems to have taken forever. I heard that Rick, who was travelling with fLASH had to spend some time in the hospital, got overserviced to buggery and then a bill for $1000.:eek:

[Guest012]

Good luck for tomorrow....sure all will be cured and then its onwards and upwards with the cruising.....we heard many stories of people who had to use the hospital services....i carried emergency medication......hey do they stick the charge on your account...that would be one scary account statement you would receive.....hehehe......i am heading off to have another round of surgery in the next month or so..when i pluck up the courage......third time lucky....lol....almost had to cancel two weeks before cruise was really pX#@ed off but it all worked out okay..............fank goodness..... look forward to hearing your thoughts on the Rhapsody after your cruise......now don't look at me strange ....its not that far away.....and time flies ............cheers shiona

[Esilef]

We always take out travel insurrance.

 

As our last cruise went bad we were able to claim a lot of this back on travel insurrance which meant we ended up being able to pay for a trip to NZ without it costing us anything.

 

Plus if you are hiring a car at any point of your travels the travel insurrance will cover the excess on the hire car if you have an accident.

 

We also have private health insurrance.

 

If you take out a policy you wont need it. Dont and you may wish you had.

[RD MULLET]

Boy is the American hospital system good and kind. They waited 3 months to send the bill for my 3 days in hospital in Hawaii and I'm sure it was just so I wouldn't have a heart attack to go with it !

 

3 Days, 2 nights in hospital just a tad under $30,000 US. Now I know I'm in the wrong job in the wrong country.

[karmac]

Boy is the American hospital system good and kind. They waited 3 months to send the bill for my 3 days in hospital in Hawaii and I'm sure it was just so I wouldn't have a heart attack to go with it !

 

3 Days, 2 nights in hospital just a tad under $30,000 US. Now I know I'm in the wrong job in the wrong country.

 

That is just ridiculous isn't it? How can they possibly justify that? Thank heavens for travel insurance hey?

 

At what stage did you take out your insurance? When you booked, when you made your final payment?

 

Karen

[RD MULLET]

Hi Karen

 

I'm an early booker (about 18 months out) so usually I have to wait until 12 months before the cruise so it covers deposits etc from the start. Boy I was sure glad I took it out for that one.